SRINAGAR : Hurriyet leadership while paying glowing tribute to top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Sabzar Ahmed Butt and other 12 Kashmiris martyred by Indian army has announced a complete two-day strike in the valley on Sunday.
The joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik has also called for a march towards Tral on Tuesday where a big public gathering will be held in the memory of the martyrs. Other Hurriyet leaders including Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Zafar Akbar Butt, Bilal Siddiqui, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Nahida Nasreen, Firdous Ahmad Shah and Wajahat Habib Qureshi in their statements also paid homage to Sabzar Ahmed and his companions.
In occupied Kashmir, Sabzar Ahmed Butt, who had succeeded Burhan Muzaffar Wani after his martyrdom on July 8, last year, was among the 12 Kashmiris martyred by Indian troops on Saturday.
Indian army claimed that Sabzar Ahmed along with his two associates was killed during an encounter with the troops at Saimoh in Tral area of Pulwama district. However, independent sources said that they were first arrested by Indian forces and later killed in custody. Among the other martyrs eight youth were killed by Indian troops during violent military operations in Rampur and Uri areas of Baramulla while one civilian was shot dead by the troops during protests in Saimoh. The troops also destroyed two residential houses in Saimoh.
The killing of Sabzar Ahmed Butt led to massive demonstrations in Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal, Pampore, Pulwama, Kakapora, Tral, Islamabad, Khanabal, Bijbehara, Shopian, Kulgam, Hajin, Sopore, Baramulla, Sumbal, Kupwara, Bandipora and other areas.
Raising high-pitched anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, the protesters fought pitched battles with the Indian forces’ personnel. Over a hundred people sustained injuries due to the firing of pellets, bullets and teargas shells on protesters by Indian police and troops. Students also held protests in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Shopian, Sopore, Baramulla, Bandipora, Sumbal, Islamabad and other areas against the killing of Sabzar Ahmed.
The killing of Sabzar Ahmed also triggered spontaneous strike across the occupied Kashmir valley as shopkeepers downed their shutters while traffic went off the road.
As situation across the Kashmir Valley turned tense, the puppet authorities once again suspended internet services to prevent people from sharing information about the happenings in the territory following the killing of Sabzar Ahmed. The suspension of internet services came a day after the puppet regime lifted a month-long ban on internet and 22 social networking websites.
